Parenting in a Tech World

This episode was recorded live at Bark Week at the Cliff House in Maine with our CEO, Brian Bason, and CTO, Brandon Hilkert. We looked back on Bark’s journey from a small startup to where we are today, helping protect millions of families across the country.

After losing their son and brother, Jack, to suicide, John and Rick Padilla transformed heartbreak into advocacy. In this moving conversation, they share how their work — from Mountain in My Mind to legal reform — is creating hope and healing for families everywhere.

Learn more about Mountain in My Mind and follow John on social:

• https://www.mountaininmymind.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/mountaininmymind/
• https://www.youtube.com/@MountainInMyMind

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• https://www.childhood2movie.com/
• https://judishouse.org/ (for those local to Denver)

Connect with Rick via email: [email protected]

Raising kids in the digital age isn’t easy, but Sage Haven is making it a little kinder. Founders (and sisters!) Anne and Kate share how their messaging app helps parents guide healthy online conversations while keeping kids safer.

Sage Haven is the first messaging app designed to address online bullying head-on with AI moderation that is designed to block harmful messages before they are sent and nudge kids towards kindness. It also allows parents to approve every contact and monitor their child’s messages directly from their own phones, with the support of AI-powered alerts and conversation recaps. Sage Haven is thoughtfully designed for a child’s early messaging years, with built-in flexibility to gradually scale back supervision as they grow and gain independence.

Learn more at https://sagehavenforkids.com/ and https://sageparents.org/ and follow Kate and Anne’s journey on the Sage Sisters Podcast.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sage-sisters/id1778502058

Links:

• https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sage-haven-safe-messaging/id6737915693
• https://sageparents.org/guidebook/

Follow Anne and Kate on social:

• https://www.instagram.com/sageparents/
• https://www.instagram.com/sagehavenforkids/
• https://www.instagram.com/sagesisterspodcast/
• https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567046541576

Cindy Robinson is an author, researcher, and neurodivergent life coach who works with individuals with ADHD. In this episode, she shares her perspective on parenting, technology, and what it means to raise kids in today’s world.

Learn more about Cindy on her website and give her a follow on Instagram!

https://www.cindyrobinsonllc.com/

https://www.instagram.com/cindyrobinsonllc

Don't forget to check out her books:

• https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CXLVLMFL/
• https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FH56R1PR/

Killer Mike shares his perspective on parenting in today’s world, offering advice for helping kids navigate both online and offline life. Listen in as he reflects on timeless approaches to raising confident, resilient children.

Today, we chat with Joshua and Brock from Parent ProTech, who equip parents and educators with expert-backed tools to keep kids safe online. They share practical tips on online safety, AI, and how families can actively guide their child’s digital journey.

Learn more about Parent ProTech and connect with the team:

• https://www.parentprotech.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/parentprotech
• https://www.youtube.com/@parentprotech
• https://www.facebook.com/parentprotech
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/parentprotech/

Don't forget to sign up for the Parent ProTech newsletter!

https://www.parentprotech.com/news

Today’s guest is Chris McKenna of Protect Young Eyes, a nonprofit dedicated to creating safer digital spaces for kids. Chris, a longtime friend and partner of Bark, shares insights on online risks and strategies families can use to keep kids safer in the digital world.

Links discussed in this episode:

• Learn more about https://www.protectyoungeyes.com/
• Check out the https://www.childhood2movie.com/
• Sign the https://www.protectyoungeyes.com/manifesto

Connect with Chris and the PYE team:

• https://www.instagram.com/protectyoungeyes
• https://www.facebook.com/protectyoungeyes/
• https://www.youtube.com/@ProtectYoungEyes

Don't forget to sign up for their newsletter, The Download, to get important updates!

Kristi Wells and Brittany Dunn of the Safe House Project share the urgent realities of child sex trafficking and how families and communities can support children’s safety.

Discussed in this episode:

• Learn more about the Safe House Project: https://www.safehouseproject.org/
• Download the Simply Report app on the App Store and Google Play:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/simply-report/id6741466809

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.safehouse.simplyreport

• Read the 2024 Impact Report

https://www.safehouseproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2024-Annual-Report-Safe-House-Project.pdf

• Donate to the Safe House Project

https://www.safehouseproject.org/donate/

• Learn more about VOCA

https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/victims-crime-act-voca-administrators/welcome

Connect with the Safe House Project:

• Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/safehouseproject/

• Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/SafeHousePrjct

Don't forget to sign up for the Safe House Project newsletter for important updates!

Sarah Gardner, founder of the Heat Initiative, joins us to discuss how her team is holding Big Tech accountable for child safety failures. From calling out Apple and Meta to mobilizing public pressure, she shares the wins, challenges, and how we can all help bring the heat.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Learn more about the Heat Initiative: https://heatinitiative.org/
• Donate: https://heatinitiative.org/support-us/
• Email Apple and demand more from Meta: https://heatinitiative.org/take-action/

Connect with the Heat Initiative:

• https://www.instagram.com/heatinitiative/
• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKgRtoOP9x1_hJxWvKcDp0Q
• https://twitter.com/heatinitiative

Kris Perry, executive director of Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development, joins us to discuss how technology is shaping childhood, and what parents, educators, and policymakers can do to support healthy development.

Learn more about Children and Screens: https://www.childrenandscreens.org/

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• International Scientific Congress
• Monthly expert webinars
• Screen Deep Podcast
• Parent tip sheets

Don't forget to sign up for the monthly ScreenShots Newsletter and support Children and Screens via donations.